A Harvard professor had the perfect response about what really matters in life

Matt Might didn't set out to tell strangers on the internet how
to lead a good life, just as he didn't set out to father a
son with a rare disability.

But when Might learned that his son Bertrand had a genetic mutation that delays
physical and mental development, he was forced to reexamine his
priorities.

In
a recent Quora thread that posed the question "How can I
minimize my chances of having a disabled child?" Might unpacked
how Bertrand had helped put his life in perspective.

It's a lesson for just about anybody trying to figure out what
truly matters most.

Here's his answer:

My son forced me to systematically examine what matters
in life — what really matters — and in the end, I came to
appreciate a quote from his namesake, Bertrand Russell, more
than I could have ever imagined:

"The good life is one inspired by love and guided by
knowledge."

Might describes himself as previously being a young professor
hungry for tenure. He says that pursuit was "an abject failure."
He tried his best to raise funding to publish papers, all in the
hopes of securing tenure, but the research was no good.

"I remember huddling on the porch at the end of that year with my
wife," he wrote, "telling her, 'Well, I'll at least have a job
for six more years.'"

Then he looked at Bertrand, his newborn son who had an extremely
rare brain disease. Suddenly, the relentless pursuit of tenure
seemed insignificant.

Might says he was reminded that becoming a professor was never
about the legacy. "I became a professor to make the world better
through science," he wrote. He made a vow: "From this day
forward, I will spend my time on problems and solutions that will
matter. I will make a difference."

A
2010 review of 148 studies found people could reduce their
risk for premature death by up to 50% just by keeping their
social relationships strong. Another study conducted
in 2003 found college students with more friends were less
vulnerable to the common cold.

And if you thought money could buy happiness, consider
friendships instead: Doubling how many friends you have has been linked to the
same boost in well-being as a 50% increase in income.